Cursor has launched Origin, a new cloud service designed to compete with GitHub. The announcement marks the company’s first major product update since SpaceX acquired it for $60 billion in June.
The service allows software teams to store and manage code repositories in the cloud.
Origin builds on Git
Origin is based on Git, the open-source version control system that also underpins GitHub. Git’s branching feature enables developers to create separate copies of a codebase, work on them independently, and merge changes without conflicts. This prevents errors when multiple team members edit the same files.
Related: Stripe buys OpenRouter for $7B
Cursor included a one-click integration to import projects from GitHub into Origin. The service syncs updates between both platforms automatically, so changes made in one appear in the other.
Developers can access Origin through a new tab in the Cursor desktop app or via a command line interface. The design simplifies routine tasks like creating and copying repositories.
Beyond storage, Origin allows developers to use Cursor’s AI agents to edit code directly within repositories. These agents come in two types: local agents running on a developer’s machine and cloud-based agents that continue working when the desktop is off.
Connectors and future plans
For teams with complex workflows, Origin supports integrations with third-party services. The initial release includes a connector for Vercel’s hosting platform, which lets developers create test environments to check for bugs. It also works with tools from Depot Technologies and Buildkite.
Related: AI boom risks oversupply as demand shifts
Cursor intends to expand these integrations. The company hinted at upcoming “agent-native features” but did not provide specifics. One possibility is that these features could ease the creation of isolated cloud environments that many AI coding tools require. Another possibility is that SpaceX may integrate Origin with Grok Build, its AI coding tool released earlier this year.
The shift into code hosting aligns with Cursor’s focus on automating parts of the coding process. Origin extends that automation to infrastructure. Whether developers will adopt it over GitHub remains uncertain, as GitHub has dominated the market for over a decade and is deeply embedded in most workflows.
Origin is now available to all Cursor users.